Initially the plan was to board him, but we did not want to commit to a specific timetable of being out of town and my mother (his usual sitter) was going to be making the trip to Ohio as well. Once we made the decision that Jordan was going to make the trek, I did a little research online, spoke to his vet and a friend of mine who owns a top notch boarding facility to get some recommendations.
The vet suggested that he be given Benadryl as a means to calm him for the trip. It would have to be administered at least an hour before getting into the vehicle. Now, I'm not big on drugs for myself and I certainly am not big on them for my dog either, so I continued to look and ask around for other options. I did purchase the Benadryl just in case, and we did use a small amount (smaller than what the doctor said to use) at the beginning of the trip. Personally I did not like the drugged up look Jordan had and we did not give him any more for the rest of the trip.
The other items purchased to comfort him were:
1. The Thunder Shirt: I've seen these in various places and asked around to see if people really recommended it. Hefty price tag, but it came with a pretty easy return policy so I figured why not give it a shot. In my opinion, this saved the trip! He was exceptionally calm in the car wearing his Thunder Shirt.
"I make the thunder shirt look good." ~Jordan
2. Calming Spray- This spray has pheromones in it that you are supposed to spray immediately before the dog enters the vehicle. Not sure how much this had to do with his calmness, but the combination of everything seemed to work perfectly.
3. Seat Belt Harness: We didn't use it for this trip, but will use it for short car trips in the future.
4. Pop Up Kennel: This kennel folds down to a flat circle and can be strapped in to the seats in the car making it very functional and convenient. Jordan is a bit of a big baby, so he didn't particularly like the separation of this kennel from us in the back seat.
Not happy about the separation!
Million Dollar Question: Did Jordan get sick on the trip?
Yes, but only after driving for about 4 hours when he was forced to sit in the kennel while I ate in the front seat. I honestly think he worked himself up quite a bit with separation anxiety. Other than that he was perfectly fine. I can't say that one specific thing is what did it, because we used quite a few methods, but I can say the trip was a success.
Jordan's Loot: Pictured are the items discussed above and a few dental products. I also made sure to bring a printout of his immunization records, just in case they were needed for an emergency situation.
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